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Left unilateral neglect in a preschool child
N M Thompson1, L Ewing-Cobbs, J M Fletcher
1Southwest Neuropsychiatric Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78229.
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|July 1, 1991
Summary
Transient hemispatial inattention in a child after traumatic brain injury resolved within six months. This suggests the right hemisphere is crucial for visual attention development before age six.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause neurological deficits.
- Hemispatial inattention is a known consequence of brain injury, typically associated with the right hemisphere.
- Understanding attention development in pre-literate children is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention.
Observation:
- A three-year-old child experienced transient left hemispatial inattention after a TBI.
- CT scans identified right frontal and temporo-parietal contusions.
- Specialized stimuli were used to assess visual attention in the pre-literate child.
Findings:
- The child's hemispatial inattention resolved by 19 days post-trauma.
- Full resolution of inattention was observed six months after the injury.
- This case demonstrates the role of right hemisphere systems in visually guided attention in young children.
Implications:
- The findings suggest that right hemisphere dominance for visual attention is established before the age of six.
- Early identification and management of hemispatial inattention in pediatric TBI are important.
- This case contributes to the understanding of neuroplasticity and recovery of attention functions in early childhood.